Immigrant gardaí can leap language barrier
It is obvious that most people who did not attend school in Ireland would not have an Irish language qualification. The question remains how best to ensure that such trainee gardaí acquire a capacity in Irish.
Many newly-arrived immigrants are already multilingual and, as such, have no prejudice against learning the language.
It is vital that a measure which aims to combat discrimination does not itself lead to discrimination, where a person speaking Irish to a garda is ordered to speak English on pain of arrest.
Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, BL
Gaeltacht Ráth Chairn
Co na Mí.
